Team Sky's dominance in every aspect of the 2012 Tour de France has left other teams with no cards left to play, writes ITV.com/tour editor Luke McLaughlin
A week is a long time in the life of a Tour de France but it looks like Team Sky's rivals have already run out of options.
The British team need to be solid, to cut out mistakes and to avoid crashes, injury and illness. If they do that then they will make cycling history in Paris next Sunday and Bradley Wiggins will become the first British Tour de France winner.
That's hardly breaking news at this stage, but what of Team Sky's rivals? Is there anything that will stop this race turning into a procession?
As has been said, the biggest threat to Bradley Wiggins is from his second-placed team-mate Chris Froome. That illustrates the team's stranglehold on the race.
For those wondering if Froome might be the stronger rider across a Grand Tour with lots of climbing, I'd refer you to the final podium of the Vuelta a Espana in 2011: 1) Juan Jose Cobo 2) Chris Froome 3) Bradley Wiggins.
In that race, Team Sky arguably cost Froome victory through some tactical confusion over who exactly they were riding for. But there will be no such mistake at this Tour. Froome isn't lying when he says he's there only to ride for Wiggins, and unless something remarkable happens, Wiggins will win the race.
BMC-Racing Team's Cadel Evans looks relatively out of form. As Wiggins has said, the Australian and 2011 champion never lacks for spirit and determination. But in the face of Team Sky's power it is not going to be enough. Evans lies fourth - 3'19" behind Wiggins - and on this evidence will struggle to best Froome and Nibali for a place on the podium.
Seven days ago there was a steep climb to La Planches des Belles Filles which many didn't expect to have any effect on GC. But the British team's approach blew the peloton apart and put them firmly in control of the race. There is no team that can match them in any aspect of the race and the mountains, perceived as a potential area to attack for Wiggins' rivals, have been particularly demoralising for the likes of Vincenzo Nibali.
He's 2'23" behind Wiggins and Nibali of Liquigas-Cannondale has tried his best. He has attacked on the descents which many believed would be his big weapon - but Sky have caught up. On the steeper climbs, for Nibali it's more been a question of staying in touch with Team Sky rather than trying to attack them.
In the Prologue and the individual time trial Nibali rode well, well enough to stay in touch in the general classification, but again it's an area where Sky are demonstrably stronger and Nibali can only hope to limit the damage to his own hopes.
It's interesting to wonder how climbers like Alberto Contador or Andy Schleck may have fared in the face of Sky's incredible climbing power.
Contador is capable of explosive bursts of acceleration on the climbs but whenever they have faced an attack in this race, Sky have stayed calm and gradually reeled it back in.
Credit to Team Sky principal Dave Brailsford for that, who has instilled confidence and spirit in his team and a belief that they are capable of winning the race. Wiggins' tactical knowledge and experience is a big factor too.
There was a theory that Evans and Nibali and their respective teams could work together to put Team Sky under pressure and isolate Wiggins but there has been no sign of that happening.
Liquigas-Cannondale have perhaps been slightly weakened by Peter Sagan's ambition of the winning the green jersey and the tension which seems to exist between the Slovakian and his team-mate Nibali.
It would be interesting to see how Wiggins reacted if he did get isolated on a climb - if his team-mates fell away and he had to respond to attacks from the likes of Nibali and Evans on his own. But his team are in incredibly good form, and the resources of rival teams look very limited in comparison.
As things stand Sky are not just winning this race, they are completely dominating it. They will not be celebrating prematurely, but for British cycling fans it should be a happy road to Paris.